Since 2010, Cook Inletkeeper and partners have been educating boaters and fishermen in the Susitna Valley on the importance of clean boating practices.

Our Clean Boating campaign has been successful at reaching boaters at several priority waterbodies in the Susitna Valley that are listed or at risk for being listed as polluted, including Big Lake, the Little Susitna River, and Deshka River.

The Outdoor Recreational Trails Advisory Board will meet Jan. 6-7 in Anchorage to consider grant applications. The public is welcome to attend the meeting which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days in Suite 1270 of the Atwood Building, located at 550 West 7th Ave in Anchorage.

During the meeting, the ORTAB will evaluate grant proposals for the Recreational Trails Program. The board will provide recommendations to the Director of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, who will make decisions on funding for those applications.

1. Fill out this Trip Plan before you leave home.2. Leave the Trip Plan with someone you trust.3. If you don’t come home at the expected time that person should call the Alaska State Troopers and give them this Trip Plan.

Significant snowfall and a stabilized snowpack has enabled the reopening of the East Hatcher Pass Management Area to public use, and allowed the opening of snowmobile use in the area, effective at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2. The area has been closed to the public since Friday, Nov. 27 due to extreme avalanche conditions. The Department of Transportation & Public Facilities will reopen the Hatcher Pass Road at 6 p.m., as it has finished clearing last week’s avalanche debris that covered the road. The public is urged to remain cautious while traveling in mountainous areas as avalanche danger still persists.

The Nancy Lake State Recreation Area will also reopen to snowmobiles at 6 p.m. on Dec. 2 after cold temperatures re-stabilized the snowpack. The public is advised to stay off the Red Shirt Lake Winter Trail until flowing water on the trail freezes.

Due to extreme avalanche conditions and continuing weather patterns that are contributing to greater instability of the snow pack the East Hatcher Pass Management Area is closed to public use. The public is advised to stay away from the area until the snowpack stabilizes.

Over the past week an unusually powerful weather system has stressed a fragile snow pack with extreme snow load, high winds, rain, and above freezing temperatures. Numerous avalanches have occurred in areas that are traditionally considered safe during an average winter season.

Due to a deteriorating snowpack and poor ice conditions, the recreation area no longer has sufficient snow to protect the underlying vegetation and will close to snowmobiles effective Friday night, November 27, 2015 at midnight.

Over the past week an unusually powerful weather system has stressed the snow pack with rain and above freezing temperatures. Lake ice has become treacherous with severe overflow, standing water and open flowing water on creeks. The public is urged to use caution while traveling with the recreation area.

The Mat-Su Area Office of Alaska State Parks announces that the recent snowfall has allowed the opening of the Nancy Lake State Recreation Area and Denali State Park to the use of snowmachines as of Friday, Nov. 20. Park staff has determined that sufficient snow cover now exists to protect underlying vegetation in the parks.

Caution is advised in all areas as lake ice is variable. Thin ice and open water exists in streams and river ice is unstable or flowing.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has adopted new regulations which allow the use of fat tire bicycles within Chugach State Park on trails currently open to bicycles and on certain other trails between November 15 and March 31. The new regulations also define fat tire bicycles as having a minimum tire width of 3.7 inches and tire pressure of 20 psi or less. The use of fat tire bicycles is now allowed on the following trails within Chugach State Park between November 15 and March 31:• Middle Fork Trail• Lost Cabin Trail• Eagle River Corridor (to Icicle Creek)• Eklutna Lake (frozen surface)

The Chugach State Park Citizens Advisory Board is seeking applications to fill upcoming vacancies on the 15-member board. The role of the advisory board is to advise the Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation on matters involving Chugach State Park, to promote protection of the park’s natural and cultural resources, and to facilitate communication between the public and the park managers. The board meets monthly and each member is expected to serve on two committees.

Board members serve for three years and terms are staggered so that seats open each year. Applicants will be considered for the term beginning in January 2016. The application deadline is Oct. 31. An application form may be obtained at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/misc/chug...kappv7.pdf

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has made available a 39 page report by Cook Inletkeeper on the waters of Big Lake, and the Little Su and Deshka rivers.

From the report: "Boaters throughout the Mat-Su region can no longer afford to recreate without understanding how they can be part of a solution to the pollution problems facing the community. Through this ongoing project, our overarching objective is to work with local communities, private businesses, Alaska State Parks, boaters and other stakeholder groups to identify and fill gaps in clean boating education and resources to ultimately reduce petroleum pollution in these and other Mat-Su Valley waterbodies. "